Noguera



Jan. 15, 1957 J. NOGUERA 2,777,169

DRAFTING MECHANISMS FOR TEXTILE FIBRES Filed Jan. 19, 1953 United StatesPatent DRAFTING MECHANISMS FOR TEXTHJE FIBRES Joseph Noguera,Salford,Manchester, England, assignor to Casablancas High Draft Company Limited,Salford, Manchester, England, a British company Application January 19,1953, Serial No. 331,867

Claims priority, application Great Britain January 30, 1952 7 Claims.(Cl. 19-135) This invention relates to drafting mechanisms for textilefibres of the kind employing a number of drafting systems arranged sideby side and each composed of consecutive roller pairs, the top rollersof adjoining systems being carried and weighted from the centre by anarm pivoted at the rear of the mechanism and incorporating a weightingsaddle assembly which engages intermediate necks between the aforesaidtop rollers.

With such mechanisms it is very desirable that provision be made forraising the front top roller of any particular system whilst weightingpressure is maintained on the other top rollers of the system. This isimportant because there is much more likelihood of the fibres lappingaround the front top rollers than around the other rollers and, if thefront top rollers can be raised independently, these roller laps can beremoved Without disturbing the rest of the drafting mechanism and theflow of fibres through the much slower moving preceding rollers orendless bands.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to simplify themanipulation of roller weighting and carrying arms in draftingmechanisms by providing satisfactory means for raising and retaining inthe raised position the front top roller of such mechanisms so that theoperators task is made very much easier than hithereto. Another mainobject is to use the same device for retaining inside the rollerweighting arm all the actual weighting mechanism while at the same timeenabling it to be removed easily from the arm when this becomesnecessary for purposes of repair or adjustment.

There are a number of known methods for releasing the weight on thefront top rollers of drafting arrangements with conventional methods ofweighting, and enabling these rollers to be removed whilst the weight onthe remaining rollers is maintained. Such an arrangement is described inUnited States Patent No. 2,548,232 where the front saddle is pushedbackwards and raised so that it comes to rest engaging in a notch on theback saddle. Another method of achieving the same object is illustratedin United States patent application No. 297,090 of 1952 in which, whenthe finger piece on the end of the front saddle is raised, a small pawlengages in a notch on the saddle and retains it in the raised position.By lifting the front of the saddle again slightly and depressing thefront end of the pawl, the saddle can be restored to its operativeposition. Methods which have hitherto been suggested for use on rollerweighting arms having suffered from various disadvantages, such asnecessitating one hand of the operator being fully occupied in holdingthe roller in the raised position.

According to the present invention there is provided a draftingmechanism of the kind specified wherein the front top rollers ofadjoining drafting systems are carried and weighted by a front saddlepivotally mounted on the arm in such manner that the said saddle and toprollers can be raised in relation to the arm by turning the saddle aboutits pivot against the weighting pressure, manually releasable catchmeans being provided for automatically retaining the saddle in itsraised position on the arm.

Patented Jan. 15, 1957 According to a further aspect of the invention acatch member, having two separate pin engaging positions spaced oneabove the other, is pivoted on the saddle and is spring urged against aco-operating pin on the arm so that a part of the catch member betweensaid engaging positions bears on the pin when the arm and saddle are intheir normal working positions, the arrangement being such that, if thefront saddle is lifted about its pivot from the said working position,the lower engaging position of the catch member will automatically bemoved into engagement with the pin, to retain the saddle in a raisedposition in relation to the arm, whilst, if the arm is lifted about thearm pivot from said working position, the saddle will drop down inrelation to the arm and the upper engaging position of the catch memberwill automatically move into engagement with the pin, to limit saiddownward movement of the saddle, the catch member being manuallyreleasable from both lower and upper engaging positions, in the firstcase to return the front saddle to its working position and, in thesecond case, to remove the saddle from the arm.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into effect one embodiment thereof will now be described indetail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l isa cross-sectional elevation through a drafting mechanism, showing aweighting arm in the operative or weighting position and partiallybroken away to expose a catch means in accordance with the invention,the bottom rollers of the mechanism being indicated diagrammatically inchain-dotted lines and some conventional parts of the mechanism havingno bearing on the invention being omitted.

Figure 2 shows the front part of the mechanism in accordance with Figurel, the arm being retained in its weighting or operative position but thefront top rollers being shown in a raised and unweighted position, and

Figure 3 again shows the front part of the mechanism according to Figure1 but with the arm pivoted into a raised or inoperative position inwhich weighting pressure is relieved from all the top rollers.

In the illustrated embodiment, the invention is applied to a weightingand carrying arm composed of spaced side plates 1 and a cover portion 2which closes the space between the upper and end edges of the plates 1.In accordance with known practice, the rear end of the arm is pivotedbetween spaced parallel bracket plates 3 which form part of a bracketassembly. This assembly is clamped on a bar 4 fixed at the rear of thedrafting mechanism. Appropriate catch means, not shown, are alsoprovided respectively on the arm and bracket assembly for holding downthe arm in its operative or weighting position. The forward end of thearm, i. e. the end remote from the pivotal mounting, is arranged tooverlie the intermediate necks 5, 6 and 7 between the top rollers ofadjoining drafting systems in the mechanism, each such system beingcomposed of three consecutive roller pairs 5a, 6a and 7a.

Incorporated partially between the arm side plates 1 is a saddleassembly which includes a front saddle '8 and a separate rear saddle 9.The front saddle 8 is intended to Weight and carry the top rollers ofthe front roller pairs 5a in the adjoining systems and, to this end, thesaddle 8 is arranged to engage over and grip the intermediate neck 5between these top rollers. The saddle 8 is formed with an upper part 8awhich is extended rearwardly to provide an elongated lever 10 which lieson edge between the side plates 1 of the weighting arm and substantiallyparallel thereto. The lever 10 has a downwardly directed slot lila atits rear extremity and opening into the under edge of the lever, thisslot being arranged to receive a pivot pin 11 which is fixed between thearm side plates 1 a little behind the rear drafting roller pairs 70 andsubstantially parallel to the axes thereof. The pin 11 thus forms apivot for the saddle 3 from which the saddle can be released by liftingthe slot 18a in the lever clear of the pin.

The rear saddle 9 is intcnded to apply weighting pres sure to the toprollers of the middle and rear roller pairs 6a and 7a in the adjoiningsystems and, to this end the saddle 9 is shaped to bridge the rollernecks 6 and 7 and also to engage over and grip these necks as shown. Therear saddle 9 has an upper part 9a formed with an opencnded longitudinalgroove which opens into the top surfaces of the saddle upper part 90 toreceive the lever 10. From the base of the groove a slot opensdownwardly through the body of the saddle 9 and into the under surfaceof this saddle between the parts which engage respective roller necks 6and 7. This slot is provided with a transverse pin 12 which is embracedby fingers ltlc formed on a downwardly directed extension on the underedge of the lever It), which extension projects into the aforesaid slot.

Upstanding lugs 9b are formed approximately centrally on the upper faceof the saddle part 9a, one lug being located on each side of theaforesaid longitudinal groove, and a roller 13 is carried between theselugs. This roller 13 thus bridges the lever 18 and is positioned wellclear of the upper edge of the lever which latter has a recessed partbeneath the roller.

Arranged to bear downwardly on the periphery of the roller 13 is one endof a weight transmitting lever 14. The opposite end of this lever 14-provides a bearing for the upper ends of two coil springs 15 the lowerends of which bear downwardly on the top of the front saddle 8.Intermediate the length of the lever 14 is provided an upwardly directedslot 16 which opens into the upper edge of the lever and engages a fixedpivot 17 secured between the arm side plates 1.

It should be understood that the foregoing saddle assembly has beendescribed only by way of example and to aid the understanding of theinvention. The saddle assembly, however, forms no part of the presentinvention nor is it intended to limit the invention to use with such anassembly.

The front saddle 8 is provided with a forward extension or finger piece18, which has a longitudinally extending slot 18a therein and whichprojects beyond the arm in a readily accessible position for purposes ofmanipulating the saddle. Mounted on the front saddle 8 immediatelybehind and above the finger-piece 18 is a hook-like catch 19. This catch19 is arranged to pivot on a transverse pin 20 between two cheeks 8b atthe leading end of the front saddle upper part 8a. The catch 19 isinfluenced by a spring 21 whereby a straight rear edge part 1% of thecatch is held bearing against a transverse pin 22, when the arm is inits normal working position with the front rollers weighted as shown inFigure 1. The pin 22, mounted behind the catch 19, is secured betweenthe arm side plates 1.

Projecting rearwardly from the upper end of the catch rear edge 1% is ahooked extension 19!) which overlies and is spaced above the pin 22 whenthe mechanism is in the aforesaid working position. The lower end of thecatch. rear edge 19a is formed with a recess 190 which opens towards thepin 22 and is located below and. slightly in front of the latter in theworking position of the mechanism. In practice, the distance of thehooked part 19b of the catch member above the pin is substantially equalto the distance of the recess 19c below the pin. Projecting forwardlyfrom the lower end of the catch member 19 is a thin extension 23 whichcan enter the slot 18a in the saddle extension 18.

When the mechanism is operating, the catch member 19 is, as aforesaid,positioned with an intermediate part of its straight rear edge 19:: heldagainst the pin 22 under the action of the spring 21 and, in thisposition of the catch member, the forward extension 23 thereof lies in arelatively inaccessible position in the slot 18a of the saddle extension18, the upper edge of the extension 23 being then substantially flushwith the upper edge of the extension 18. If now it is desired to relievethe weight on the top rollers of the front roller pairs 5a, whilstmaintaining the weighting pressure on the rollers pairs 6a and 7a, allthat is necessary is to pull upwards on the forward saddle extension 18so that the saddle 8 is lifted, the saddle lever 10 being turned aboutits pivot 11. The arm, during this movement of the front saddle, is helddown in the weighting position by suitable retaining means. The upwardmovement of the saddle 8 causes rear edge 19a of the catch 19 to ride upover the fixed pin 22 until the recess 19c engages the pin. Thisengagement is brought about by the action of the spring 21 which tendsto turn the catch 19 about its pivot 20 in a clockwise direction asviewed in the drawings. Once the pin 22 has entered the recess on thecatch, the saddle 8 and its associated top rollers are retained in araised position in relation to the weighting arm, as shown in Figure 2,whilst the weighting pressure on the top rollers of the middle and rearroller pairs 6a and 7a is maintained. and the attached top rollers arehung on the arm in a raised position, the arm remaining substantially inits normal working position. With such an arrangement, the operator thenhas both hands available to carry out any maintenance or adjustment thatmay be necessary, the raising operation requiring only one hand for avery limited period.

In the raised position of the saddle 8 as aforesaid, the forwardextension 23 of the catch 19 extends above the saddle projection 18 asshown. If then it is desired to return the saddle 8 and associated toprollers to the working weighted position, all that is necessary is tolift on the saddle extension 18 slightly, to relieve the weight on thepin 22, and then to depress the catch extension 23. This depression ofthe catch extension 23 serves to pivot the catch in an anti-clockwisedirection as viewed in the drawings and moves the recess 190 out i ofengagement with the pin 22. If then the saddle extension 18 is released,the saddle and top rollers are free to drop down into their normalworking position.

If it is desired to raise the entire weighting arm about its rear pivotas may be necessary for various reasons, the usual means for holding thearm down in the weighting position is first released and the arm canthen be lifted about its pivot without further manipulation. During thisupward movement of the arm the saddles are free to drop down slightlyunder their own weight but are prevented from falling completely awayfrom the arm by engagement of the hooked upper end 1% of the catchmember 19 over the pin 22. This engagement is illustrated in Figure 3.By means of a single catch member, the invention thus enables the frontsaddle, when lifted in relation to the arm, to be automatically retainedin a raised position and readily lowered therefrom, and also enables thearm to be lifted without the necessity of any manipulation of members toensure that the saddles do not fall away in the lifted position of thearm.

It will be observed that, when the arm is in the raised position withthe upper hook-like extension 1% of the catch engaging the pin 22, theupper edge of the forward catch extension 23 remains flush with theupper edge of the saddle extension 18. If then it is required to releaseand remove the saddle assembly altogether from the arm, all that isnecessary is first to bring the parts into the relative positions shownin Figure 3, thento lift the saddle extension 18 slightly to disengagethe hook part 19b of the catch from the pin 22 and finally to move thecatch clear of the pin by depressing the catch extension 23 further intothe slot 18:: of the saddle extension and thereby turning the catch inan anti-clockwise direction about its pivot. In view, however, of thenarrowness of the slot 181:, this further depression of the In effect,the front saddle 8 a extension 23 into the slot can only be effected byan appropriate tool so that a mill-operative, who should not be in aposition to remove the saddle assembly from the arm during normaloperation, will be prevented or at least discouraged from so doing.Furthermore, there is little or no danger of the saddles beingaccidentally misplaced or removed from the arm by virtue of the factthat the catch extension 23 is shielded by the slot 18a when the arm andsaddles are in the normal working position and when the saddles and armare in the relative positions shown in Figure 3, which they must occupybefore the saddles can be released.

I claim:

1. In a textile fibre drafting mechanism having consecutive top rollerscarried and weighted through the intermediary of a top arm adapted topivot about a fixed axis at the rear of said mechanism between anoverlying weighting position and a raised inoperative position, thecombination of a front top roller weighting and supporting saddlepivoted at the rear on said arm and adapted for angular displacementrelative to said arm in the Weighting position of the latter between alowered working position and a raised non-operative position, andcooperating manually releasable catch means adapted automatically tointer-engage in the raised nonoperative position of the saddle to retainthe latter in said raised position whilst weighting pressure continuesto be applied to the rearward top rollers, said catch means including atransverse retaining member secured to said arm above the saddle, anupstanding catch member pivoted on said saddle and spring means adaptedto urge said catch member against said transverse retaining member, saidcatch member having a flat bearing surface located opposite thetransverse retaining member in the normal Working position of the saddleand a recess below said surface adapted to engage over the transverseretaining member under said spring influence when the saddle is raisedrelatively to the arm into the aforesaid non-operative position.

2. A combination as claimed in claim 1 in which the transverse retainingmember is positioned on the arm behind said catch member and said flatbearing surface is constituted by a straight rear edge of the said catchmember.

3. The combination as claimed in claim 2 in which a rearwardly directedhook like extension is provided at the upper end of said rear edge ofthe catch member to overlie said transverse retaining member and, incooperation With said transverse retaining member, to limit thepermitted downward angular displacement of the saddle in relation tosaid arm when the latter is raised to its said inoperative position.

4. A combination as claimed in claim 3 in which said saddle is providedwith a forwardly projecting finger piece to facilitate manipulation ofthe saddle.

5. A combination as claimed in claim 4 in which said catch member isprovided with a forward extension whereby said catch member can bemanually turned about its pivot for disengagement from said transverseretaining member.

6. A combination as claimed in claim 5 in which said forward extensionon the catch member is arranged to enter a slot in said saddle fingerpiece from which it projects only when the transverse retaining memberis engaged in the catch member recess, the arrangement being designed tofacilitate manual release of the catch member from the lower engagingposition Whilst manual release of the catch member from the upperengaging position can only be achieved by depressing said catch memberextension within said slot.

7. In a textile fibre drafting mechanism having consecutive roller pairsand an overlying top arm which is pivotable between Working and raisedpositions and incorporates a saddle assembly for carrying and weightingthe top rollers of said pairs, the combination of a separate front toproller saddle adapted to pivot about a rearward axis on said arm toenable said front top roller to be lifted with the saddle away from thedrafting field and into a raised non-weighting position, whilst the armis in the working position and weighting pressure continues to beapplied to the preceding roller pairs, and conversely to permit saidsaddle to drop downwardly in relation to the arm for purposes ofdismantling in the raised position of said arm, and co-operatingmanually releasable catch means provided respectively on said arm andsaddle and adapted for automatic inter-engagement to retain the saidfront saddle in said raised non-weighting position and, alternatively,to limit downward displacement of the saddle in relation to the armduring raising of the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,072,452 Hughes Mar. 2, 1937 2,353,338 Hess July 11, 1944 2,508,964Naegli Mar. 23, 1950 2,688,162 Solanas Sept. 7, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS880,542 France Mar. 29, 1943

